The ActionReaction

of

by Samantha Coville

Samantha Coville I am an 8th grade student attending

FLVS. I take World Geography, Latin 1, and Algebra 2.

I enjoy playing the Pokémon Card Game and even got invited to the 2008 World Championship.

I am not a very experienced person in the field of science, but, if I decide to do something, I give it my best!

My Hypothesis

Human reflexes are effected by tiredness.

Human reflexes weaken when the subject is tired.

Why Reflexes?I actually got the idea while at Disney World. I was talking with my Grandfather when the idea of testing reflexes came up.

The more I thought about it, I realized how great an idea it was. With this test, I would be able to find if, when you got tired or weak, did your reflexes get weaker like expected.

This is something that is asked in baseball with batters and the men in the outfield. Also, football and other sports can be thought about while doing the test.

Other than sports, there is real world events like if a person is cooking. If they are extremely tired, would they be able to catch a vegetable that falls of the counter or maybe even stop a fire if one should arise in the kitchen.

The more I thought about the test, the more I wanted to do it!

The Set-UpThe actual set-up itself is actually

very simple. It includes two stations which are set up in two separate rooms.

One station is for the test subject.

The other station is for myself.

Station 1: The Test Subject’s Station

The test subject’s station is the simpler of the two stations. It includes two lights, one green and one red, and a Staples Easy Button that is modified to control the lights.

Station 2: My StationThe second station is a bit more complicated.

It includes a timer, pilot lights that mimmick the lights on Station 1, a button that turns the green light on on the 1st Station and starts a timer, a button that resets everything, the power box, and the wiring that makes it all work!

A project is never complete without appropriate signage!

TestingI held my testing at a tae kwon do class. The

test subjects, the tae kwon do students, each tried the test before class and then again after class when they were tired.

Each subject signed a consent form before testing began. Subjects under the age of 18 had a parent/guardian/chaperone sign the form.

Testing Instructions Subject sits at Station 1 When both lights turn off and then back on, done by me, that is a

warning that the test has started When the red light turns off and the green light turns on, the

subject pushes the easy button (Which is in a set spot) When the subject pushes the Easy Button, the green light will turn

off and the red light will turn on.

A Look at My Side of the Testing I push the button on Station 2 which starts the

timer and turns on the green light on Station1 The subject pushes the Easy button and my timer

stops. I write down the time on a sheet I reset the test and do it 10 times with each

subject for each of the two tests, awake and tired

ResultsThe results were actually the most

amazing part of this entire project.

8 of the 9 test subjects improved the button pushing time after intense exercise.

Only 1 person had a 10.2% increase in time after exercise.

Discussion Was there an error in the

testing? Is there anything I would

change if I did it again? What was the most

interesting part of the project?

A Giant Thank You to the Mt. Tabor Tae Kwon Do Class!

Thank You to My Grandfather Who Helped Me and Stood By Me Through This Whole Project!

Thank You for Watching My Presentation!